Aelin's Amnesia
by Frostbyte Writer
Summary: Continuation of One-shot #14 in my collection due to popular demand. Aelin gets amnesia, and Rowan copes. Involves almost all of the Throne of Glass characters. Future plot lines to be revealed soon! Please review! Rated T because I'm a chicken.
1. Chapter 1

**Due to popular request, my one shot (Aelin gets Amnesia) has been recreated into another fanfiction! Woohoo! If you think I should continue, please review. If not, then say so in the reviews, because this will take time away from my one shots collection writing time. Depending on your reviews, this might either be updated all the time, rarely, or it might even be abandoned.**

 **If you have already read the one shot, skip to the next bold area. Oh, and as my one-shot readers know, I need to write a disclaimer, because I'm a chicken. I do not own Throne of Glass or any of it's plot lines/characters. Throne of Glass and Fleetfoot belong to Sarah J. Maas.**

 **Again, skip to the next bold area if you have already read my one shot about this.**

Aelin was lying on her bed, motionless. Tubes were inserted in various parts of her body, despite the fact that she was fae. Doctor's orders. She had been hurled head first into a tree two weeks ago by one of the many monsters of Wendlyn's forests. We were going to visit one of my cousins there, but we had raced back to Terrasen when Aelin had recieved her injury. Aedion had attacked me after he had heard what had happened- He had wanted to come with Aelin, but she had insisted he stay to keep control of the castle while she was gone. Luckily, I knocked him out before any real damage was done- physically, and mentally. He was a brother to me now- we were both bonded to Aelin.

I held my hands in my head. It was my fault that we had gone to Wendlyn, that she had been hurt. I wasn't there when she had faced the creature, we had gotten in a fight and she had gone off into the forest to cool off. _And I had let her._ Stupid, stupid, stupid. I ran to her as soon as I felt our bond being splintered, eaten away at.

Why would she have gone so deep into the forest? Ever since we had faced the skinwalkers, she was much more cautious of Wendlyn's forests. Our fight must have bothered her more than I wanted to admit.

I heard the sheets rustling, and a small groan. My head shot up. I examined the surroundings, checking every window, every lock. Then I turned to face the bed where Aelin was resting. She had sat up, looking around the room, confused.

"By the Wyrd, get these rutting tubes out of my body," she growled, yanking them out.

I resisted the urge to laugh. Typical Aelin, after being hurled head first into a tree, and being unconcious for two weeks, her sass wasn't affected.

Aelin seemed to notice me then. Her eyes narrowed, then widened. She pushed herself back, hitting her head on the bed frame and swearing colorfully. Then, she seemed to notice her canines. She touched her ears, and her eyes widened further. She shut her eyes, and opened them again.

"Aelin?"

"No. Aelin is dead." She replied, clutching her head and rocking back and forth on her knees.

I shot her a confused look, though she couldn't see it. What was she talking about?

"Fireheart, what's wrong?"

"How do you know that name?" She screeched at me, making me flinch in my chair. "I don't know who you are!"

I stared at her in shock. At that moment, the doctor that was taking car of Aelin, Yrene Towers, walked into the room. Her eyes narrowed at me. She seemed to have noticed the screaming then.

Aelin's head whipped towards the door. "Yrene?" She knew Yrene. Why was she pretending she didn't know me?

"Ae-" Aelin cut her off.

"Why is everybody calling me that? That's not my name!"

Yrene's eyes narrowed again, then widened in shock. She swallowed hard, then started again. What was going on?

" _Celaena._ " I gasped, then spun to look at Aelin. She seemed to calm down, and her chin lifted again. No. What joke were they playing on me?

"How do you know my name? What's going on?"

"That doesn't matter right now. This is important. How old are you?"

Aelin's eyebrows bunched together. "17, why? Also, why am I not at the Silent Assassin's keep anymore?"

My mouth dropped open. Yrene replied with calm that I wished I had- "Oh, no matter. I'll be right back." She grabbed my arm and pulled me out of the chair. I stumbled to my feet, feeling Aelin's gaze on me the entire time. My legs felt like jello. Yrene yanked on my arm again and pulled me out of the room, with me tripping and stumbling after her.

When we finally made it out of the room, she shut shut the door. More of a slam, actually. I gaped at her.

I had a million questions, but I couldn't seem to speak. Thankfully, Yrene spoke for me.

"The queen seems to have amnesia. She will probably regain her memory because of her heritage, but-"

" _What_?" I growled. Yrene flinched, but I didn't soften my tone. "What do you mean, _amnesia?!_ "

She swallowed, but answered with surprising strength in her voice. "Amnesia, a partial or total loss of-"

"I'm aware with the term."

She swallowed again. "She seems to believe that she's seventeen. She doesn't remember anything from there on out."

I heart plummeted. That also meant that she didn't remember me. At all. She also didn't remember anything about the past year- accepting her heritage and returning to Orynth. I ran my hand through my greasy hair. I hadn't bothered to shower since Aelin was admitted to the medical ward.

"I have to tell her everything, then." I turned to go back into her room, but Yrene stopped me with a tug on my arm.

"No, let her remember on her own. If you try to tell her everything at once, all the memories will come flooding back, and she might hurt herself further. It might only take a few months to remember everything."

"A few _months?_ " I exclaimed.

The door was thrown open, and a tired Aelin stumbled out. "Why hello there. I'm hungry. Do you happen to know where I can find myself some chocolate cake?" She showed no signs of having heard our conversation. I couldn't take it anymore. I ran.

"What's up with him?" I heard Aelin remark from down the hall.

I kept running until I reached my room. I held my hands in my head and collapsed onto my knees. _All my fault. Amnesia. All my fault._

I shifted, unable to keep thinking about it. I flew out my window and kept flying until I reached the towering line of the Staghorns. But even with the frigid air nipping at my skin, all I could do was think about Aelin.

 _"I don't know who you are!"._ That scene replayed in my head, over an over again.

 _All my fault, all my fault, all my fault._

 **Okay, time to get to Chapter 2, because this was a copy/paste of my one-shot for new readers. I'm going to keep it in Rowan POV for now.**

When I finally returned to the castle, covered in a thin layer of frost, I started heading towards Aelin's room automatically. A few servants looked at me and took me in- The weary set of my shoulders, the frown and the tired eyes, and continued walking with their heads down and their gazes averted. I knew that I was probably freezing, but I barely noticed it. I couldn't feel anything except for the pain in my chest, which was spreading rapidly. I stopped outside of Aelin's room, from which I heard the steady breathing of sleep. I was about to open the door, when I realized that it was Aelin's room- Aelin who didn't remember me, Aelin who had forgotten everything about our relationship.

I clutched my head, tearing at my hair. I still couldn't feel it over the numbness that had taken over. Aelin didn't remember me, and she wouldn't for months. All because of me.

I tried to turn around, to go back to my room, guided by the little bit of sense that I had left. But my legs felt like jello. I took a step, and my legs gave out, and I collapsed to the floor. I was on all fours, panting, even though I hadn't done anything strenuous. I crawled over next to Aelin's door, leaning against the wall for support. I slouched there, legs facing outwards, and closed my eyes. I fell asleep, exhausted, to the sound of Aelin's breathing.

I was awoken by the sound of footsteps. My eyes shot open, and I reached across the bed for Aelin. My hand hit open air, and all of the events of the night before came flooding back. I slowly lowered my hand, my mouth twitching into a frown. I banged my head against the wall behind me, sharp pain shooting up my head and my neck. I welcomed it- It was better than the numbness that threatened to drown me. I opened my eyes slowly to the sound of the door being thrown open. Aelin stared down at me, her chin lifted, and her hands on her hips. She swaggered over to where I sat, plopping down next to me. She grimaced, wrinkling her nose.

"You smell. So, who are you exactly? And where are we? The servants seem to like me an awful lot."

I was about to explain when I remembered what Yrene said. I couldn't tell her everything at once. So I started off slow.

"I'm Rowan. Your caranam."

She stared at me blankly, no recognition showing on any of her features. "Rowan. Hm..." She seemed to be testing the word out. She shrugged, smirking at me. "Sorry, doesn't ring a bell. Neither does... What did you say again? Caramel or something?"

I opened my mouth to reply, when Aedion came storming down the hall, looking as if he had just fought a bear, eyes wide. His gaze rested on Aelin.

"Aelin!" He screeched, running to his cousin. Aelin shot up, jumping back to avoid Aedion's crushing embrace.

She looked him up and down, fear obvious in her eyes. "How does-" Her eyes widened, her mouth parting. "Ae-Aedion?" Her brows narrowed, and she shut her eyes, her breathing quickening. She bared her teeth, clutching her head in both hands.

I shot a death glare at Aedion, before rushing over to comfort Aelin. Then stopped. If she recognized me when I touched her, then she might hurt herself more than she was now. It took every ounce of willpower to stop myself and watch as Aelin fell to her knees, still clutching her head. I put an arm out in front of Aedion, who seemed to be inching forward against his better judgement.

"No," I growled, leaving no room for argument whatsoever. I turned to face him, my vision turning red before sharpening.

"Go get Yrene. Now." It was barely comprehensible over the growl that accompanied the words.

Aedion stared at me fearfully- fear for his queen, surely- then dipped his head in a barely noticeable nod before spinning on his heel, and dashing through the castle to go get Yrene. When I turned back to face Aelin, thankfully, she seemed to have passed out. I sighed in relief, before a frightening thought came over. What if Aedion had just caused more damage? I whipped my head to the sound of approaching footsteps. Yrene was running towards her fallen friend.

She pushed me out of the way with surprising strength. I was already dizzy with fear, so when she pushed me, I stumbled backwards, hitting the wall behind me. I braced myself with a hand as Yrene inspected the queen. She sighed in relief, leaning back from where she kneeled next to Aelin.

"Thank the gods," she mumbled. She turned to face me from where I leaned against the wall.

"She should be fine, but don't give her any shocking information anytime soon. If you do, you may cause permanent damage."

I blinked, taking it all in. I sighed slowly, running a hand through my greasy hair once again. It came away covered in dirt and grease. I cringed.

"How much will she remember?"

"From what Aedion told me, a fair amount. Depending on what she made of the situation, she might have unlocked a lot of memories, or she might only know that her identity was revealed. It all depends. The brain is a tricky thing."

I groaned. "So she probably doesn't remember me."

Yrene looked at me sadly, before lowering her gaze back to the unconscious Aelin that lay motionless at her feet. "It's very unlikely that she does."

I closed my eyes, resting my head against the wall behind me. I begged silently, to the gods who either weren't listening, or simply  
 _didn't care._

 **Should I continue? Thanks for reading!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Here we go. All characters belong to Sarah J. Maas.**

 **Chaol POV (Rowan is hard to write)**

I had rushed to the castle in Orynth as soon as I received the letter from Aedion. Dorian had told me to send his regards, that he was too busy preparing for the recreation of Adarlan's laws that if he left now, Adarlan would be thrown into chaos. Dorian truly wanted to go, I could tell, but he knew that he couldn't leave. But I could.

In Aedion's letter, he just said that Aelin had been injured. It said that she wasn't hurt physically, and that mentally she would heal. I remembered my eyes widening at the use of words. Mentally, she _would_ heal. That means that she had injured some part of her brain. I immediately thought the worst- A stubborn, sassy queen with fire magic gone psycho. However, Aedion's letter didn't specify, and from what I had heard, Terrasen seemed to be doing just fine. It wasn't burnt to cinders yet, according to the courier.

It had taken me a few weeks by horseback to get to the castle, thanks to the weather. I had opted to go alone, and all the supplies that I had needed to carry and then set up alone were slowing me down. But I had to get to the castle before a real snowstorm hit, because if I didn't, then I would be stuck out in the middle of the wilderness with limited supplies for a few months. When I finally reached a small village outside of Orynth, I decided to sell off spare clothes and food so I wouldn't be slowed down. A risky move, but it was definitely worth it.

A few days later with no food to spare and a growling stomach, I arrived at Orynth's gates, half frozen to death. Aelin had done her work with her city- The walls were polished, gleaming in the afternoon sun. She had opted for a white marble, with torch light illuminating the sides. The torches were placed in the sides of the wall, with small rectangles cut out in the wall. At the bottom of the rectangle, a diagonal slant was placed to keep the snow from filling up the hole.

I sighed, approaching a guard that was stationed at the golden gates of Orynth. The gates themselves were gold, but beneath it was a hard layer of stone. From what I had heard, the layer of stone was also in the walls.

The guard noticed me, and took me in- The frozen clothes and skin, the sullen look. His gaze rested on the wyvern crest that was sewn to my uniform. He nodded to a guard at the top of the gates. He didn't yell, nor did he wave his hands to alert the guards. He just spoke normally-

"It's the captain. Open the gates." I frowned. How would they hear him or see him? I examined him again, this time more carefully. Standard Terrasen uniform, plated armor tinted a bright silver, with hard, insulating green leather beneath it. He held his helmet in his hands, which was just a standard Terrasen guard helmet. I moved my gaze up, to his face. A faint brown stubble covered his pale face, and he seemed completely warm despite his bare neck, which wasn't covered whatsoever by his short hair. Then I noticed it- his ears. They ended in sharp points- Fae ears. I smiled. Of course- Terrasen was full of magic wielders- and Fae.

The sound of the gates opening snapped me out of my thoughts. I nodded my thanks to the guard, then hurried off into the gates of Orynth.

I walked through the city, not bothering to stop to look at the shops or the inns that lined the streets. I just needed to get to the castle, before I froze to death. I needed to see what was happening to Aelin.

Before I knew it, I was at the castle gates. I looked up at the towering marble castle, lined with gold, wood and copper. Aelin had completely reconstructed the castle, which had been deteriorating and filled with pests of all sorts when she had arrived. But of course, knowing her, beneath all the finery was solid layers of compressed stone. I nodded to the guards who were stationed there, who just nodded in return before thrusting their hands at the holes at the side of the gates. There were copper tubes placed there, which turned off in the direction of the gate. I couldn't see past that. However, when the two men placed their hands there in perfect unison, the gates creaked and slowly started to open. They must have been using magic to trigger the gate mechanism, then. Smart.

I smiled at the guards halfheartedly, before rushing into the courtyard. Rowan was there, hands in his head. He looked up at my arrival.

"So you came. Where's the princeling?"

I shook my head. "Too many things are happening in Adarlan. He truly wanted to come."

Rowan's eyes sharpened when I tried to explain, but nodded his head in understanding. "Adarlan would have been thrown into chaos." he said sharply.

I nodded, swallowing. If Rowan was in such a bad mood... Something extremely bad had happened to Aelin. I looked at him for a few seconds before continuing into the castle- Aedion might be in a better mood, and I didn't want to push Rowan. Or he might be the one pushing me. Off the roof of the castle.

I ran through the ornate hallways that filled the castle. I knew where the medical room was- I had been there several times after sparring with Aelin when I had visited.

I banged on the door, rapping 3 times. "It's Chaol Westfall!" I yelled, staring at the wooden door. I was surprised that they had chosen wood, due to the fact that their queen had fire magic, and that it was a rutting _medical room door._ Who knows how many times they had to have replaced it? It seemed relatively old, though, the copper rusting almost imperceptibly.

The door was thrown open, revealing a very mad Yrene Towers. "Aelin is awake now, thanks to you." she whispered angrily, baring her teeth. Throwing the door closed behind her, she pushed me out of the way and into the hallway, where she turned to face me. "Before you ask what's wrong with her, I'll tell you. She has amnesia- She still thinks that she's 17."

I felt my eyes widen and my mouth drop open. Amnesia? No, that means that- That she doesn't remember me. That she doesn't remember Endovier... But also, she doesn't remember Nehemia. I shook my head at myself internally. How could I be having such evil thoughts? Yrene explained the rest of it to me, before opening the door again and leading me in. "Remember, don't mention too much. You could cause permanent damage."

I showed my understanding with a small dip of my head. Yrene pulled back a curtain, revealing a very annoyed looking Aelin.

"Why won't anyone tell me anything?" she took me in, her eyes resting on my wyvern crest. She dropped her head, letting it flop back onto the pillow. "So I'm apparently friends with the castle of the guard. Where exactly am I? Did you Adarlanians renovate your castle or something?"

I swallowed. Twice. She didn't seem to notice- or she did notice, and didn't comment on it. I looked at Yrene for guidance, and she nodded before turning around to attend to other business. I sighed, and turned to face Aelin again.

"Do you remember your name?"

Her chin lifted almost imperceptibly. "Celaena Sardothien... But..." Her shoulders fell. "You all apparently know I'm Aelin Galathynius."

I bit my bottom lip, my brows furrowing. "So what do you remember about these past few years?" I asked carefully.

She sighed in frustration. "Nothing. Just blank space where memories should be. I keep on trying to remember, but I always get horrible migraines when I do so..." She paused, tilting her head up. "Will you finally tell me what in the rutting hell is going on? All I remember is leaving Sam after Skull's Bay... And then arriving at the Silent Assassins. Then I was just about to train with Ansel when..." She frowned. "That's where it cuts off. It makes no sense whatsoever."

I sighed. "Well, I'm Chaol. Chaol-" she cut me off, staring at the ceiling blankly.

"Westfall, right?" Her eyes lit up, and she sat up so quickly it was blurry. "I didn't know that before it just kind of... Came to me." She smirked, touching her ears gingerly. "And I seem to finally be getting the hang of my fae body. I freaked out when I first realized."

"So..." My heart filled with unreasonable hope. "You remember me?"

She shrugged. "Am I supposed to? Anyways, where's Sam?"

I took a step back, nearly crashing into Yrene, who had stopped at the name of Aelin's deceased lover. I turned to look at her, but her gaze was fixated on a very confused Aelin.

I opened my mouth, attempting to make up a lie, but Yrene touched my shoulder, making me face her. "She's going to find out soon anyways. She seems stable... so..." Aelin cut her off again.

"Wait what? Find out what?"

Yrene looked at me. Making me deliver the bad news. I swallowed again. "Aelin... Sam is dead. Killed by Arobynn and Rourke Farran... Tortured to death."

Aelin stared at me blankly, her eyes glazing over in memory. She shook her head twice, clutching it in her hands. Yrene started panicking- "What? Not again- she was completely stable- What?"

Aelin's head shot up. "Shut the rutting hell up, or I'll rip out your rutting throat." She growled, tears filling her eyes.

Despite the threat, Yrene seemed to relax at this. She shot me a look of relief. Not another migraine.

Aelin clutched her legs, her head placed in between them. She rocked back and fourth in her bed, sending creaks in the floorboards and the bed.

I nodded at Yrene, before turning to leave the medical room where she had been moved to. I was stopped by Aelin's voice, defeated.

"No, don't leave..." she whimpered. I stared at her. I couldn't remember the last time she had cried- or if I had ever even seen her cry. She just looked so... Broken.

"Endovier. I remember..." She was cut off by violent sobs, her throat closing up.

I slowly walked over to her, sitting next to her on her bed, comforting her. Just like I used to.

"It's okay," I said, leaning into her and running my hand along her back comfortingly. "It's all going to be okay."

 **Okay, don't worry. The next chapter will be more action packed. This was just kind of a in-between chapter.**


	3. Chapter 3

**And we're back! Shoutout to Tildal, who cured my Writer's Block with his amazing suggestions. Also, in reply to Dorian Havilliard's review, Rowan's chapters are hard to write because of his reaction. I'm not sure how to write it- When he feels the numbness, it's hard to explain, and when he's angry, I'm not sure if he would go Celaena Style or if he would just close himself off, etc, etc. He's lived a long, long time, so it's difficult to predict, write and explain his reactions. I don't want to stray too far from his character... And I'm not very good at characterization.**

 **Chaol POV** (because of reasons that will soon be revealed.)

After Aelin had fell asleep, crying, I stumbled through the hallways to Aedion's room. I didn't have an assigned guest room, and Aelin usually took care of these kinds of things. Except this time, she couldn't, for obvious reasons. The thought of Aelin not remembering for at least a few months made my heart plummet and my stomach turn- But at least when I left, Yrene said that she was healing quicker than she had expected.

I banged on the door, making the door shake on it's already loose hinges. I waited for a moment- No answer. I narrowed my eyes, brow furrowing. Why wasn't he opening the door? Light was seeping out of the bottom of his door, so he was definitely inside. I yelled out to him-

"Aedion, it's me, Chaol!" I saw the light shift, and then the sound of heavy footsteps approaching the door. I stepped back, just as the door swung open, hinges creaking in protest.

"Oh, hey. I thought you were Rowan, coming to reprimand me." Aedion mumbled, moving out of the door frame. His eyes were red and swollen from crying, his hair tousled and greasy. His clothes were heavily wrinkled, as if he had slept in the same clothes that he had worn for a few days. I walked into his bedroom.

Papers and clothes littered the dirt covered ground, and the carpet was overturned in some spots. Chairs were on their sides, and the smell of unwashed bodies filled the room. I resisted the growing urge to grimace and plug my nose. I instead waled over to the window, which was littered with fingerprints and had a heavy layer of dust and dirt on the once pristine glass, and opened it. I welcomed the fresh air into the room, which nipped at my skin and nose. Despite the fact that it hurt my nose with every breath I took, I stood in the direct path of the cool breeze as it entered the room.

Turning around to face Aedion, who sat on his bed, tears long since spent, I scratched my head awkwardly.

"So... I was wondering if I could get a room somewhere." Aedion's head shot up, as if he had already forgotten that I was there.

"Oh yeah, sorry about that. I was just..." He shook his head, dismissing the thought. "Never mind." It was unsettling to see the mighty Wolf of the North so disheveled. I remembered what Yrene had told me, that Aedion had caused a migraine, that he might have caused further damage if he had said anymore. Aedion, who was so loyal to Aelin. I suddenly understood his disheveled state.

"Aelin's okay, and she's healing well, and at a much quicker rate than expected," I tried.

Aedion laughed coldly, no light reaching his eyes. "No thanks to me."

I frowned, and felt the room shaking. I looked around, about to ask Aedion about it, when I realized it was me. I was shivering violently. As much as I wanted to comfort Aedion, I needed to get a room.

"Sorry Aedion, but can you ask a servant about getting me a guest room? I could use a nice, warm bath."

Aedion nodded, never looking up. "Sure. I'll call one up when I get the chance. In the meanwhile, just ask to use the guard's showers. They're open 24/7, and you could borrow one of their uniforms. I'm sure Aelin wouldn't mind." It sounded as if his throat was closing up as he mumbled the last part. I awkwardly walked out of the room, only sparing a glance back at Aedion before I closed the door. He looked and sounded miserable, and I didn't want to intrude on some private moment.

I called for a servant, asking for them to prepare a room- I doubted that Aedion was going to get me one anytime soon. I walked over to the guards quarters, which was empty at this time of the day. Thankfully, nobody was in the bathing rooms. I sighed, and waded over to the nearest bathtub.

About half an hour later, I was getting dressed in the uniform some servants brought me. The fur lining inside of the hard green leather was much more comfortable than my frozen uniform. They gave me a black shoulder cape, black boots and a black and red pin. They all fit nicely, the pin indicating that I was a guest from Adarlan. I was about to enter my room when someone tapped me on my shoulder from behind. I turned my head to see who it was.

Yrene's worried face stared back at me. She opened her mouth to speak, then closed it again, chewing her bottom lip. I spoke first.

"What's wrong? Did something happen to Aelin?" Yrene turned her gaze down, then closed her eyes. She seemed to be regaining her composure, her shoulders straightening, her chin lifting once again. When she opened her eyes again, only hard steel remained in her gaze.

"Aelin isn't talking to anyone, isn't eating, and isn't moving anywhere. We had to move her to her original medical room when she was asleep, and she won't get out of bed now. I don't know what to do, she won't talk to me, and I don't think Aedion or Rowan's presence will help... She doesn't remember them."

"She doesn't remember me either."

"Yes but..." she seemed to be searching for words. "Before, earlier today, you calmed her down. She knows that you can comfort her, that you played some important role in her past. I think she might talk to you, and if not, that you may at least be able to coax her to eat something."

I sighed, running a hand through my still wet hair. "Okay. Can you show me where to find her?"

A few moments later, I was sitting in her medical room, used only for royalty and members of Aelin's court. I sat in an armchair next to the fireplace, the situation reminding me of Adarlan... When Nehemia had died.

Aelin sat up in her bed, staring at the fire. She wasn't crying, but instead seemed to have closed herself off from the world. I tried to talk to her.

"Aelin..."

She turned her gaze to me. "No. Don't you dare talk to me." Her voice was hoarse from disuse.

At least she was talking. "What? Why are you..." She shot out of bed, punching the wall and creating a dent in the wood- which was inlaid with copper.

She panted, despite the situation, then clutched her head, tearing at her hair. "Can you just... leave?" she managed to get out, collapsing next to her bed.

I swallowed, then complied. I couldn't risk angering an unstable Aelin. Suddenly, the alarm sounded. Yrene burst in to the room, looking frantic.

"The Valg are at the walls. They demand to see the queen. We can't let them get to her!" She said quickly. I barely caught the last part before she rushed to Aelin, pausing for only a moment.

"Wait... What's wrong?" I stared at her, and explained what I had witnessed. She ran a hand through her hair. "I don't know whats going on. I don't exactly know a lot about amnesia... She shouldn't be healing so quickly. I don't know how much she remembers but-" She was cut off by the sound of Rowan crashing into the room. He scanned to room before his gaze rested on Aelin. He rushed over, pushing Yrene out of the way. Picking her up, he ran out of the room. I stared after him, then ran after him. He was moving exceptionally quickly- with fae speed, surely- and I barely kept track of him. Finally, I ended up outside of the castle, from where Rowan was standing, still holding Aelin, who was groaning softly in his arms. The Valg had broken through the walls, and were blocking Rowan's escape path. The cold air nipped at my exposed hands and face, but I barely noticed. My attention was fixated on who stood at the front of the assembled army.

It was eerily silent, the only sound his crunching footsteps through the snow, as Duke Perrington approached us. A menacing grin was plastered on his face, his eyes narrowing at Rowan.

"Get away from her." Rowan growled, setting Aelin down softly on the snow as she opened her eyes.

The Duke stopped in his tracks, assessing Aelin, who was standing up slowly, wobbling. She narrowed her eyes at the Duke, whose grin had spread. Thankfully, Aelin was in full battle armor- Rowan must have made a pit stop in the weapons room while I was lagging behind.

"Why hello there, Aelin. We meet again."

Aelin's face was carefully blank. A flicker of recognition showed through, but I must of imagined it- It was gone in the next second, replaced by a blank stare.

"Should I know you?" Aelin said, seemingly confused. The Duke laughed coldly, making me shiver.

"So the rumors are true. You truly do not remember us," the Duke opened his arms wide, and the Valg soldiers around him straightened.

Aelin shot a look at Rowan, whose eyes flashed. His fierce look changed into a blank slate- his features revealing nothing.

"Sorry, who are you exactly?" The Duke's eyes narrowed further, then he seemed to have an idea.

"Why, Aelin, we're your friends. These impostures stole you from us."

 **Action in the next chapter. All of Aelin's strange actions shall be explained soon.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Ooh. Cliffhanger. Sorry about that... But... So many things have been planned out. Oh. I can't wait to reveal this in future chapters...**

 **Duke Perrington POV** (Because... Again... I'll tell you in future chapters. Everything has a reason. Everything has been planned. Mwahahaa...)

I willed as much innocence into my eyes, the human that used to inhabit my body complying, bending to my will. Brannon's heir, Aelin Galathynius stared at me, confused. I had invaded Terassen, wanting to see the queen's state for myself. The perfect time to take her and make her one of our own.

The Captain of the Adarlanian Guard, Chaol Westfall, I believe my minion told me his name was, stepped forward. He was shaking with barely restrained rage, while Aelin's fae companion stared at me blankly- What a weak man.

"Aelin. _Aelin!_ He's lying. Can't you tell that?" Aelin stared at him, being torn between two sides. Her reputation was far too good, I must say that I was quite disappointed. How could my minion have been so easily killed? It's ridiculous.

"I-..." Her brow furrowed. Letting some of my power through, I used my dark magic to create false memories and implant them in her head. Her eyes widened. "You- That's impossible." she sputtered.

Her fae friend, Rowan, I believe his name was, glared at me, teeth bared. I just smiled back innocently, before turning to face Brannon's heir.

She was blinking rapidly, confusion etched into every inch of her body. Running a hand through her hair, she sighed. "By the Wyrd..." Rowan put a protective hand on her shoulder, and her eyes snapped open. She pushed him off of her, sending him stumbling back, confusion and shock clear on his face.

Aelin growled. "Get away from me you rutting bastard." I resisted the urge to smile. Everything seemed to be working. I held out my hand, attempting to look sincere as I said with faked kindness,

"Aelin. I can explain everything. Just come with me to our castle," I pleaded, choosing my words carefully. Aelin stared at my hand longingly- How had so many fallen by the hand of this idiot? She couldn't have been older than 25- and yet she seemed to have the intelligence of a 10 year old.

She finally nodded, only sparing a glance at Rowan before she took my hand. Rowan's reaction seemed to be delayed, as if he couldn't quite believe what was happening- Or if he really just was that slow to process the information. Frustration and sadness filled his features, but he didn't protest. It really was, far too easy. I smiled at Aelin, pulling her closer to me. I was inclined to put a Wyrdstone ring on her right then- But I had to wait. I had to make a special collar just for her.

The fear emanating off of the captain was delicious, but I couldn't reveal myself to Aelin just yet. So I just smiled as I turned Aelin around, putting an arm around her shoulders. I shot my officers glances, telling them to play along. They nodded almost imperceptibly, passing the message along to their unit.

I heard cries of frustration, and arrows and magic rained down on my army. I shielded Aelin, knowing that nothing that these men possessed could harm me- but Aelin didn't know that. We ran to the horses that awaited us outside of the walls of Orynth, using my soldiers as protection against Terrasen's forces.

It really was, just far, far too easy.

 **I could be mean and end it off here... But I won't. The next chapter will be up sometime today.**


	5. Chapter 5

**It's up, people. Here goes nothing.**

 **Chaol POV**

I watched uselessly as Aelin departed with that monster. Rowan was just staring longingly after her, but wasn't making any move to go get her. In my rage, I stormed over to Rowan, pushing him. He didn't budge from where he stood.

"Go, you bastard! What are you doing?" Rowan looked at me, shaking his head.

"I'll explain later." He hung his head, defeated. I threw my hands up, spinning in circles, pacing. I didn't know what to do, so I decided to join the fight. I would figure out what Rowan was planning. I would get Aelin back.

 **Valg Soldier POV**

I watched in wicked delight as my king approached with Brannon's heir following willingly. I had been told to play along, to escort Aelin to the chamber in which she will wait in until we were ready. Until my Lord's brother was ready to finish this invasion once and for all.

I closed my eyes, letting my inhabiting human show through a bit. I opened my eyes, a smile spreading on my face and my eyes softening. I held the reins of her horse, the horse which I was going to be sharing with her. I waved at her, forcing a large grin on my face. "Aelin! Over here! Hurry!" I forced some affection and urgency into my voice. It made me want to rip someone's throat out. These human's with their emotions- It sickened me.

Aelin's eyes lit up, making me want to grimace. I played along, though. "Hurry up!" I helped her onto the horse and hopped on behind her. Her magic pulsed through her veins, making me want to shy away. But we had to go. I urged my horse forward, sending it off into a sprint out of the battle zone.

We rode for days. We stopped once in a while, filling Aelin in with false memories and details. So gullible, humans. They believe that everything they remember is their own, is we finally arrived at the compound, we quickly escorted her to her room, which we had prepared days before. We made sure to keep it far away from the barracks and the archives, so she couldn't remember anything that we didn't want her to remember.

"So, here we go," I said with false happiness, lightly nudging her into the room. Aelin looked back at me, her eyes filled with thankfulness and happiness.

"Thank you, Nox," she said using my false name which my king had searched through her memories for.

"No problem," I said, smiling. Someone tapped me on the shoulder than, and I turned around, feigning shock and confusion. "Yes, sir?" I said innocently.

I could tell that my commanding officer was attempting not to snarl at me. Instead, he put up a fake smile. "You're needed, _Nox._ Someone has been captured from the battle of Terrasen. We had to retreat, sadly." His words were dripping with venom and bitterness.

I cleared my throat. This was why I was chosen for this job, not him. Before I could reply, Aelin stepped in.

"Who?"

"Chaol Westfall." A hint of shock showed, but was quickly replaced with anger. She shook, clenching her fists.

"Let me see him." She growled. I almost smiled coldly at her, but held back. Instead, I shook my head solemnly.

"I don't think that's a good ide-" She cut me off, making me want to rip out her throat with my bare teeth. I watched it bob and move as she spoke.

" _Let me see him._ " she repeated, her voice barely audible over the accompanying growl.

I sighed, feigning surrender. We had planned this, for Aelin to turn on her friends. "Okay. Let her see the prisoner." I said, keeping my gaze down to hide my amusement.

We led her to the dungeons, avoiding main hallways. When we reached the room, we stood back and let her in. "We'll be watching from behind the mirror. If something goes wrong, we'll be here."

Her nostrils flared. "I prefer not to have an audience."

I smiled. This was going to be very, very fun.

 **Chaol POV**

Stupid, stupid stupid. Why had I gone into the fray, when Rowan said not to? He said that it had to do with Aelin- A plan, I was guessing. But no. I had decided that I could catch her before she left Terrasen. How wrong I was.

The shackles that chained my two hands behind were also attached to the ground, leaving me on my knees, unable to move comfortably. My hair was hanging down, covered in sweat and getting caught in my eyes. My head shot up at the sound of footsteps approaching my barren cell, a solid metal door blocking my view of my visitors. I could faintly hear Aelin's voice through the door, which had small holes to let air in at the bottom. However, I couldn't make any words out.

The door suddenly banged open, a very angry looking Aelin crashing in. "You rutting bastard!" she screeched, her fist connecting with my cheek. My head snapped to the side, sending sharp pain up my neck and my cheek. I vaguely noticed two smug Valg staring at me through the doorway, before the taller more imposing one shut the door. I heard a large click before Aelin kicked me again, this time in the stomach. My chains prevented me from being moved back, so I absorbed the full volume of the blow. Aelin's eyes flicked towards the door. I could barely hear the words, but of course, Aelin had fae hearing abilities.

"Watch-beat-captain" I heard small parts of his sentence.

The sound of footsteps increased. Aelin turned her gaze back to me. "You son of a rutting buzzard." she mumbled, her fist connecting with my face again.

"They lie..." I mumbled between blows. She hit hard- But it wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. Almost as if... I couldn't finish my thought. Pain filled every inch of my body. I couldn't stay conscious any longer.

I embraced the oncoming darkness with open arms.

 **Valg Soldier POV**

I watched with cruel satisfaction as the queen beat her former friend. When he finally blacked out, Aelin frowned. She walked out of the room briskly, leaving behind a bloodied captain.

I met up with her at the entrance, finding her leaning against the cell door. She raised an eyebrow at me, and I put up my facade of worried friend.

"You okay?" I asked, purposely making my voice squeaky and my voice crack.

She smirked at me, yawning. "Yeah, just tired. I think I'm going to turn in." Her eyes sharpened, her mouth twitching into a frown. "It's not everyday that you beat up traitorous bastards."

I looked down, feigning pity and anger. "Yeah. I guess so."

"Well goodnight, Nox." I tried not to bristle at the use of that horrible name. She sauntered off to her cell- Or her room, I suppose. I let my facade fall, my mouth twitching upwards. The plan was going perfectly, and soon, my Lord's esteemed brother would inhabit the gullible fire breathing bastard of a queen.

A few hours later, I was ordered to check in on the archives and the queen, to make sure that the vault of our top secret information was secure and to make sure our queen wasn't doing anything that wasn't planned. I checked in on Brannon's heir first- She was laying in bed, sweat gleaming on her brow. I frowned, and closed the door behind me. Then, I walked down the halls to the archives. I opened the door using my Wyrdstone ring, hearing the multiple locks click open inside. The door shot open, illuminating the rows and rows of Wyrdstone rings, collars, and top secret files far above my level of clearance. I examined the room, before turning around to exit. We did hourly checks- Nothing was out of order. I heard a small creak in the floorboards behind me. I whipped around just in time to witness the pommel of an eagle headed sword- the pommel of the Captain of Adarlan's guard's sword- headed for my face.

 **But... But... Who is it?**


	6. Chapter 6

**Okay, new chapter. All shall be revealed in either this chapter or the next.**

 **Chaol POV**

They were going to make me watch while Aelin got her collar put on her. They said told her that it protected her from "our" dark magic, and Aelin, in her confused state, _believed them._ I hoped that Rowan would hurry up with his plan- Or they'd be too late. I heard footsteps approaching the lab- I was chained in the same position as I was in my cell, except this time on the other side of a one sided mirror in the lab. The Valg wanted to watch my reaction, and feast off of it.

The shackles were digging into my wrists as Aelin opened the door slowly, walking in as if approaching a nervous horse. She stared at the table, then back at the Duke for confirmation. He nodded, smiling with clearly faked warmth- and the smile vanished immediately when Aelin turned around. How could Aelin, who was the most perceptive and witty person that I knew, fall into this little trap? Aelin picked up the collar, jumping back a bit first. She sighed loudly, laughing a bit to herself before picking it up again casually.

She put it around her next, not willing to close it yet. She should be feeling the wrongness emanating off of it- and yet she did nothing as she closed the collar around her neck. Her head whipped back, her eyes closing, as the Duke laughed coldly. When she finally opened her eyes, they were only full of cold calculation. She didn't say anything to the Duke or the surrounding guards as she approached the one sided mirror, cocking her head.

Turning around, she said "I wan't to see him. The prisoner." her voice contained no warmth. She smiled coldly, cocking her head towards the mirror.

The Duke sighed. "Already, brother?"

She smiled- Or the thing inhabiting her, smiled coldly. "Why yes. I would also like some weapons."

The Duke laughed. "Of course, brother. Always the torturer."

They left the room, Aelin moving towards the door with feline grace, only giving a glance behind her before she slammed the door shut. I slumped in my chains, feeling my shoulders droop and my face fall. This time I was going to have a visitor, and I didn't think that I was going to survive this one.

A few hours later, Aelin entered my cell in full battle armor. She wore all black, a reminder as her times as an assassin. She snarled at me, chin lifted. Turning to face the guards, she growled-

"No audience." They bowed their heads in understanding, closing the door behind them. Aelin's eyes scanned the room, then she strutted over to me, twirling a knife in her hand. I swallowed. Twice. She got close enough to me that I could feel her warm breath on my face.

"Chaol Westfall," she mumbled. Her eyes softened. I felt my eyes widen- Why would she be playing with me before she started? I tried to scoot back, but my chains held me in place. Suddenly, the door burst open, and the Duke walked in. He smiled coldly at Aelin, whose eyes sharpened and mouth twitched up into a smirk.

"Why hello, brother."

The Duke sighed, leaning back on the wall behind him. "I just wanted to see you torture him. Such fear... It's quite beautiful, indeed."

Aelin nodded, turning on her heel to face me. I looked up, only to see Aelin's knife plunging down towards me.

 **Cliffhanger! Cliffhanger! What's Rowan's plan? Will he save Chaol in time? Oh, Cliffhanger!**


	7. Chapter 7

**And here it is. The chapter that explains everything. Enjoy...**

 **Aelin POV** (FINALLY!)

I used all my immortal strength to plunge my knife down. Chaol, flinched away, waiting for the blow to come.  
Only it didn't.  
I aimed for the thin chain of iron connecting his shackles to the ground and connecting them together. Hearing the loud scrape and crash of the metals colliding and breaking, I whirled around, getting up and throwing my knife sideways in one swift movement. By the time that I was standing, my knife was embedded in the Duke's stomach. He glared at me.

"This is only the beginning..." he gurgled, a thin line of blood seeping out of his mouth before he collapsed to the ground, motionless. He wasn't dead yet- Only the Duke and his body was dead. The Valg would surely get him a new body soon, though.

I turned around to face an extremely shocked Chaol. I unsheathed a dagger out of my belt, and he backed away. I sighed, holding my hands and the dagger up as I approached him. "It's fine, I just wanted to break the shackles connecting your legs and feet together."

Chaol ran his now free hands through his hair, which stuck to his hand and face. "By the Wyrd, Aelin. How are you..." He stared at my collar. I whipped by head around and back to check to see if anyone was coming.

"No time to explain," I said quickly, my eyes scanning the rest of the room again for cameras. Nothing, just like the first time. "we need to go now. They'll be wondering where their king had gone soon."

Chaol nodded in understanding, then moved his legs a bit apart so I could easily access his shackles. Hacking away at the thicker metal, the chains broke after a few tries. Panting softly, I started to walk out of the room, waving Chaol along, but never looking back. Examining the hallways, I nodded at Chaol and gave him the all clear signal. When Chaol got out of the room, I went back to shut the door softly behind me, trying to hide the black blood that had seeped out of the room from the small air holes in the door.

It silently clicked shut, and I ran on my toes silently to where Chaol stood at the end of the hallway. I nodded at him, turning the corner first. I was started to see a Valg soldier approaching my, bowing as he saw me round the corner. I immediately put up a blank face, forcing cold calculation into my eyes. I held a hand out to Chaol from behind the wall, telling him to stop. The Valg soldier straightened, his face set in the look of a dutiful, loyal soldier of the Valg.

"My Lord," he started, bowing his head in submission. I lifted my chin, not acknowledging his presence, like a true Valg general or king. "have you already finished with your activity?"

I kept my features blank, my mouth set in a grim line- but forced the look of cruel pleasure to enter my eyes. "Yes. He was quite delicious," I answered coldly, using the terms of the Valg. "Go send for a servant right away." I said, trying to make sure he doesn't go and check on the cell.

He bowed again, before scurrying off to go find a servant. I swore colorfully under my breath, whispering to Chaol. "We only have a few minutes before that servant arrives and the compound goes into lock down. We need to go. Now."

Chaol nodded at me, not missing a beat. I examined the hallway one more time, and then waved him through. We rushed down halls like that- Only giving it a second glance before we shot down the halls. We didn't have much time- If we tried to be more careful, we had a larger chance of being caught. Thankfully, the hallways were mostly empty- They were all either training or feeding at this time of the day. When we reached the final hallway, the one with my room in it, I ran ahead to open the door. They had added a collar lock on my door, so I had to fumble around for a few seconds before I knelt down at the sensor level. The light on it turned black, the Valg code for all clear, and the door shot open just an inch. Pushing the door open, I waved Chaol along. He rushed in, and I quickly shut the door behind me, locking the door.

I sighed, rubbing my face with both hands. At that moment, the alarm sounded. I swore softly, running and catching Chaol by the arm, leading him to the vent I had escaped from. I opened it with a sharp bang, the one screw falling out soundlessly as the vent came crashing down. Catching it with my one arm, I stepped away from the vent to allow Chaol through. He hesitated for a moment before climbing in on all fours. Hearing the _clunk clunk_ of his movements made me cringe before I got in myself, closing the vent shut behind me. I made sure to pick up the fallen screw, putting it in with my sheathed dagger.

I caught up to Chaol soundlessly, catching him by the leg. He jumped up, startled, hitting his head on the ceiling, being even louder than before. I hissed at him.

"Chaol, quiet!" He tried to turn around, then realized that he didn't have that much room to move. He sighed loudly, his breaths echoing off the confined walls of the vent. I whispered again. "There's a four way turn just up ahead. We could rest there and camp out until they open up the doors again."

Chaol's head bobbed, trying not to hit his head again, then proceeded forward more silently, but also slower. I dragged his legs along, slowly placing his hands down and dragging himself. The sound of the alarm was faint in certain spots, and then grew deafening in others. Either way, Chaol kept the same pace at each section. We finally reached the crossroads after a long while. The ceiling was higher, high enough for you to sit down and not worry about hitting your head on the ceiling. Chaol sighed and crawled over to a wall, and turned to lean against it, tipping his head up and closing his eyes. He breathed loudly out of his mouth, sweat gleaming on his forehead in the dim lighting. Our only source of light was the huge vent cover in the middle, its holes letting in a bit of light.

"So, explain." Chaol managed to say.

We were going to be here for a long time, so I decided to start from the beginning. "I remember." His eyes shot open at this. He shot me a look saying, _How long?_ I sighed out of my nose, lowering my gaze. "Ever since you told me about Sam. When I stopped talking and eating for a while." I looked up to see Chaol's eyes widen with shock and hurt. I lowered my gaze again.

So I explained to him. "I didn't tell you because it was nice, not having everybody depending on me for once." I laughed coldly. "Some sick, fae version of a vacation." I didn't stop to see Chaol's sympathetic looks. I was a coward. That was all I was. "So when the Valg attacked and Rowan took me out of the castle, I had a last minute plan." I had a flashback then.

 _I faced the Valg, trying my best to look confused. Before I stepped forward, I shot a look at Rowan._

Play along. Trust me.

 _I caught a glimpse of his answer before I turned around._

Always.

I explained this all to Chaol, who sighed. "So that was Rowan's plan then," he mumbled quietly to himself. "To do nothing."

I continued on with my story. "So I played along. They implanted fake memories in my head, and I pretended to think they were my own. However, I knew what my real memories were." My eyes flicked up to Chaol for a second before lowering my gaze again. "At night, I tried to get to the archive- my whole mission in all of this. I got the vent open when one of the Valg lackeys checked in on me- I hopped into bed just before he opened the door. He didn't seem to notice the open vent in the corner, luckily. When he left, I traveled to the archives through the vents-" I waved my arms around me- "That's what these are by the way, some ventilation system the Valg engineered so they didn't have to open so many windows and let the light in. Okay- So when I arrived at the archives, I broke was in the process of breaking all of the Wyrdstone collars and rings by burning the small stone placed on the inside of the Wyrdstone collar or ring- It usually shoots out to gain access to the user by breaking the skin where it is placed- That's why they're so hard to get off. But by blunting them, you effectively break the system. At that moment, I found your sword- and heard the archives door open. That's why Nox has gone missing- or whatever his name is- he's off rotting in some poor storage container." I tapped on my own collar. "It's blunt. Basically," I pulled off the collar with a sharp tug, the mechanisms unlocking without a host to keep it shut. "I'm me." The collar fell off, and I caught it with one hand, twirling it around on my finger.

"Why did you play along all this time?" I smiled at him.

"For these," I said, pointing to my weapons. "and so they didn't lock down the archives. While I was there, I got their battle formations, plans and all that other stuff your require in wars." I tilted my head back, leaning it against the wall. "Then I burned it all. I'm surprised they don't have smoke alarms in here. Fire is one of their main weaknesses, after all."

"So..." Chaol said, hurt evident in his voice. "It's been you all this time? Even the punching and the kicking?"

I didn't open my eyes. "It's almost always been me. The punching and kicking in your cell, though-" I opened my eyes. "That was payback for Nehemia. I had to re-remember it all, relive it all again."

He looked down in shame. "You know I'm sorry about that, right?" The guilt was so heavy in his voice that you could almost reach out and touch it. I nodded.

"I know."

The alarm stopped, as if aware of our conversation in the vents. And then we heard it.

The approaching Valg, closing in on our position in the vents.

 **Yup. That just happened.**


End file.
